The United States has congratulated Nigeria on the occasion of the country’s 56th Independence Anniversary which comes up tomorrow, October 1, 2016. On behalf of President Barack Obama and the American people, the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, expressed confidence that Nigerians are working hard to address current national challenges. Below is the full text of Kerry’s statement:

“On behalf of President Obama and the American people, I congratulate the citizens of Nigeria as you celebrate your Independence Day on October 1.

I recently returned from my third trip to Nigeria as Secretary, and I came away with a strong sense of the nation’s resolve to build a better future. During my trip, I was reminded that many Nigerians are engaged in bringing people together across the divides of culture, religious practices, and ethnicity.

Cossy will also be celebrating with a lucky fan who will win a date with her. She wrote:

Speak louder ...say what ..can't hear u. Anyway if ur a die hard fan and you stay in lag....write I love Cossy in a crazy place cc me. The craziest picture will win a date ..we party hard 2moro night at Caliente ...drinks on me sweets and 10,000 for your fuel..hola....

“The matter was actually between the Paediatric Department of the hospital and me. It was in 2011. My wife and our two-year-old son had been kidnapped. After I paid the ransom demanded and they were released by the kidnappers, I returned to Lagos from Enugu.

“Then on January 18, 2011, my son fell ill. He was diagnosed with inflammation of the liver. The hospital suggested that he should be scanned. At the same time, I was informed that I could take my son out of the hospital to get the scan done elsewhere. But the same people later declined, saying that everything had to be done in the hospital because he was too weak to be taken outside.

“After a while, I was told that there was no electricity in the hospital. When I asked if there was no standby generator, they said there was no fuel in it. I offered to pay for fuel only to be told that the man that operated the generator was not around. When I left the place and got back later, the man still had not returned. Then I was advised to write an application and to submit to the admin department.”

Justice Abubakar Umar of the FCT High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja on Thursday, September 29, 2016, convicted one Dora Gilmaska, a pole, alongside her company, Icon Media and Marketing Agency Limited, on one-count charge of fraud brought against her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Gilmaska was found guilty of forging and issuing a dud cheque of N9million to one Tayo Olugbemi sometime in 2012.

She was arraigned on November 7, 2012, and upon arraignment pleaded not guilty to the charge.

After diligent prosecution, Justice Umar found Gilmaska guilty and she was consequently convicted.

A Federal High Court sitting in Warri, Delta State has convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment one Ighofose Oyoma. Ighofose was first arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on 3rd May, 2016 on a seven count charge bordering on Conspiracy, Forgery and Obtaining Money by False Pretence to the tune of Nine Thousand Two Hundred United States Dollars ($9,200).

Upon his arraignment, the convict pleaded not guilty to the charge, but later changed his plea to “guilty”.

Justice E. A. Obile consequently convicted Ighofose and sentenced him to two years imprisonment with an option of N300,000.00 (three hundred thousand naira) fine to be forfeited to Federal Government. He also ordered that the payment receipt be deposited to the court registry.

A trader, Uchena Elumadu, 49, who allegedly raped his daughter in the Agege area of Lagos State, has said he was drunk the first time he raped her. Elumadu said his friends made him drunk that night.

It was reported that the Imo State indigene raped his first child at their home on Martins Street, new Oko Oba, Agege, each time his wife was not around.

He was said to have administered drug on her each time he slept with her to prevent pregnancy. Elumadu, who was paraded before pressmen on Thursday after he was arrested, said he had only raped his daughter twice.

He said, “I don’t know what came over me. I have only raped her twice. My wife doesn’t know I have been doing this. I first slept with her sometime last year.

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested three men for allegedly raping and impregnating a 14-year-old girl in the Agric, Ikorodu area of Lagos State.

Our correspondent learnt that the suspects – Kingsley Oke, Henry Osadere and Francis Ekwe – were arrested in the Majidun, Ikorodu area of Lagos State, before they were transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Ikeja.

It was gathered that the suspects, who lived in the same area with the parents of the teenager, identified only as Ijeoma, allegedly raped the girl in August 2016, after the mother went for a vigil.

Ijeoma, a primary 6 pupil, was later discovered by the mother to be pregnant, and she reported to the police at the Owutu division.

A Federal HighCourt sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State has sentenced 37- year-old Mr Idowu Folorunso and his 35-year-old wife, Mrs Titilayo Folorunso to 14 years imprisonment each, with hard labour, for procuring and facilitating the trafficking of a woman to Libya for prostitution.

This came as another Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State, sentenced one Ebunoluwa Bankole, 59-year-old woman to 30 years imprisonment for human trafficking.

The couple, who were arrested in Ibadan on January 12, by officials of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) following the receipt of a petition of suspected case of trafficking alongside complaints of the victim, lured the victim, who was a nursery school teacher in a private school, with the promise of a teaching job outside the country.

Spokesman of NAPTIP, Mr Josiah Emerole, confirmed the sentences in a statement on Wednesday, in Abuja.

According to exclusive reports from Encomium magazine, Nollywood actor Kalu Ikeagwu was arrested few days ago by unidentified gunman at his Ogba residence in Lagos. He was reportedly taken to the police station for questioning and released.

However, Ikeagwu is telling his own side of the story in another Instagram post, spitting fire.

The incident reportedly happened this afternoon at Jeremia Usani Junction, Gwagwalada. The suspect, named Illiasu, from Kogi State, and his companion, went into a shop and stole about N500,000.

They were already leaving on a motorcycle, when the salesgirl grabbed Illiasu from behind and raised an alarm, then he fell off the bike and was mobbed. His partner, however, managed to escape with the money.

There was chaos on Uyo Street, Umuahia, Abia State, on Wednesday, after two guests were discovered dead and six others unconscious.

Although the cause of the incident had yet to be ascertained as of press time, it was learnt that those unconscious, which included the manager of the brothel, had been rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia.

A source told our correspondent that the brothel, popularly called 50-50 Bar, usually hosted men who came to meet prostitutes at night.

The source, however, added that some occupants of the brothel raised the alarm as early as 8am that the manager was unconscious. The alarm drew residents to the scene.

Wednesday, 28 September 2016

Today, the naira plunged further to a new record low on Wednesday, down 1.76% against the dollar on the parallel market as dollar supplies dry up. It fell to 460 to the dollar on the black market, down from 452 at the close of trading yesterday .

Though the naira closed at 305.50 to the dollar on the official interbank market against 305 a dollar, yesterday, traders said dollar liquidity remains a major challenge in the market.

One dealer was quoted as saying: "Trading has continued to be thin on the interbank market as the dollar shortage persists while demand for the greenback remains strong."

The media has been awash with the 'copy and paste' story of my purported arrest by the 'police'. Thanks media; you rock!

Just to clear the air, I have this to say. I was literally abducted at gunpoint by earring wearing men purported to be policemen (they were five) in an unmarked Hiace bus with civilian number plates and fake identity cards. They first claimed to be working on an abduction Abuja case which changed to a robbery case, all while in transit.

Even on getting to the police station I was not allowed to go in to the premises but was held outside . I repeatedly asked to go into the station where I'd feel safer to ask whatever questions that were burning in my mind regarding my traumatic experience. It did not happen. Instead they told me a phone used for a kidnap was being sought for,later the story changed to robbery then back to kidnap.

Empress and Timaya dated for so many years and after they broke up, the two started a cat fight on social media, which even made them bigger stars. Timaya later moved on with another lady and they have two kids, although they are not married.

To show that there is no more bad blood between them, Timaya posted this photos on his Instagram page with the above caption.

President Buhari with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to Government of Federation Babachir Lawal, Chief of Staff Abba Kyari and Head of Service Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita as he presides over Federal Executive Council Meeting at the Statehouse on September 28, 2016...

The EFCC has arraigned a former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman O. Jibrin and two others: Rear Admiral Bala Mshelia (rtd) and Rear Admiral Shehu Ahmadu (rtd) before Justice A. S Umar of the FCT High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja on a 4-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy. They were docked alongside Habour Bay International Limited.

The naval chiefs whilst in office allegedly bought a house worth N600million from the account of Naval Engineering Services without the said purchase contract being captured in the budget. It was also alleged that, the documentation for transfer of ownership of the property was done such that a private company owned by the family of the first defendant (Vice Admiral Jubrin) became the buyer. The case is on going.

A suspected kidnapper was yesterday arrested and beaten to pulp by members of Gwer East Community Joint Task Force (CJTF) in Aliade area of Benue State. The suspect, identified as Aondolumun Nyimkaan had reportedly kidnapped one Msendoo Liamzua while she was coming back from school.

Aondolumun, who found his way into the gate of St Michael’s Nursery and Primary school, Aliade and whisked away the child, was caught while sneaking into the bush path. The kidnapper reportedly confessed to be a professional in the criminal act, disclosing that he had kidnapped other victims in Igbor area of Gwer East local government and in Gboko respectively.

Nollywood veteran actor Kenneth Okonkwo was conferred the award of Professional Fellowship Doctorate (Pfd) by the Institute of Chartered Economists of Nigeria on Saturday, 27th of August, 2016 at the National Merit Award House, Maitama, Abuja.

Kenneth Okonkwo is a renowned Legal Practitioner, a prolific writer, motivational speaker, public affairs analyst and a philanthropist. He has a Bsc in Business Administration, University of Nigeria, LLB, University of Lagos, BL, Nigerian Law School, Masters in International Law and Diplomacy, University of Lagos prior to this award...

A Nigerian doctor based in Canada, Dr. Adekunle Williams-Owolabi, has been banned from medical practice for six months after making sexual comments to patients at his clinic in Labrador West.Owolabi’s licence was suspended and he was ordered to pay the sum of $75,000 towards the costs of holding the hearing where he was found guilty of professional misconduct towards patients.A panel established by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Newfoundland and Labrador in St. Johns made the decision to suspend the doctor’s licence on Monday.

According to CBC News, a teacher, Arlene Johnson, who visited Owolabi’s clinic, testified that he made some sexual comments during a pelvic examination.

The Kano State Police Command on Tuesday arrested three housewives linked with the alleged attempted murder of a girl, who was dumped in an old well in Gayawa village, in the Ungogo Local Government Area of the state.

The Kano State Police Command’s spokesman, DSP Magaji Majiya, confirmed the arrest of the suspects. He added that investigation into the case was in progress.

It was learnt that the girl, who was allegedly dumped into the well by her stepmother, spent two days in the well before she was rescued.

Majia said the suspects, who were alleged to have been involved in the incident, were apprehended in the village following a complaint by the victim’s father.